THINK GLOBAL ACT LOCAL

LIBERAL DEMOCRAT LOCAL ACTION FOR OUR ENVIRONMENT

CONTENTS

4 Introduction Councillor Graham Neale 6 Sustainable transport in Watford Mayor Peter Taylor

8 Are we really building for the future? Councillor Adele Morris 10 Tackling climate change in Eastleigh Councillor Keith House 13 Improving air quality in York Councillor Andrew Waller

17 Harvesting the sunshine in Eastbourne Councillor David Tutt

19 Recycling and climate change in South Lakeland Councillors Dyan Jones and Giles Archibald

21 Working for a plastic-free Winchester Councillor Lynda Murphy 23 Our carbon-cutting journey: 40 per cent and beyond Mayor Dave Hodgson 26 Oadby and Wigston’s practical approach to greening our borough Councillor David Carter

2 28 Delivering for the environment in coalition Councillor Peter Thornton

30 Working for a greener borough Councillor Katie Mansfield

32 Supporting geothermal energy in Cornwall Councillor Adam Paynter 34 For a greener Sutton Councillor Manuel Abellan 37 South Somerset delivers ground-breaking energy storage Councillor Val Keitch 39 Best practice challenges for the environment

The LGA Liberal Democrat Group represents over 1,800 Liberal Democrat councillors across England and Wales. We are very active within the LGA in helping shape the organisation’s lobbying and media work, we offer advice and support to Liberal Democrat Council Groups across the country; and work with ALDC and the wider Liberal Democrat family to promote local government and to identify and highlight best practice. www.local.gov.uk/lga-lib-dem-group

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3 Introduction THE NATURAL PARTY OF THE ENVIRONMENT

Reading the articles in this booklet made me proud to be a Liberal Democrat councillor. Of course we punch above our weight, of course we are leading the way, and we are not constrained by wealthy donors, nor are we the serfs of organised labour. As a political party free from those dinosaurs of vested interests, we can embrace Since its inception, the Liberal change, and make that change work Democrats have cherished the natural for our communities and our planet. world, from realising the value of threatened species to campaigning As local councillors in power, in against single use plastics. coalition, and even in opposition we can make, influence and demand change for A key tenet of Liberalism is the the better. This booklet demonstrates protection of the planet for future exactly how our colleagues are doing generations. Sustainabilty is becoming just that. more politically relevant, as we become better educated about the natural The wealth of articles here represent world, and the impact we are having on a snap shot of a fast moving situation. it. Perhaps because we have such an Being in local government enables affinity for the environment, it’s easy us to try new things, indeed requires to take our values for granted. We need that we try new things to mitigate to be wary of assuming that the wider environmental damage, and build public understand our commitment to a sustainable future. The great protecting our planet, and our health. achievements listed here are also This booklet offers many endearing useful, to help our future candidates case studies of our environmental campaign on our environmental safeguarding, and, like a second wave commitments, and take a strong and of community politics, our commitment confident stance on the doorstep. Even to a healthy planet can help us deliver cynical voters will support us when a message of empowerment and we demonstrate that with the use of radical change. Our task then, is to use technology, saving the planet can help these examples to win wider support. them save money.

4 Local government is the bedrock of Liberal Democracy in the UK. The community and activist base which elects all our politicians starts with localism and a local base. From plastics to power, and planning to pollinators there are many examples for focus leaflets and council motions. Some of the achievements listed in this booklet are groundbreaking, while others appear to be common sense responses to everyday problems. It’s the Liberal Democrat touch of pragmatism and vision that sets us apart, and can win us support. We’re not just going to change the world – we’re going to save it! Thanks to our colleagues across the country for the work they are doing, and for writing about their work, thanks also to Rob Banks and the team at the Local Government Association (LGA) for putting this together. Councillor Graham Neale is the Chair of the Green Liberal Democrats

5 Mayor Peter Taylor SUSTAINABLE TRANSPORT IN WATFORD

in my manifesto. We welcome and have supported the growth and vibrancy of our town but know that this must be done in a sustainable way. Over several years, many partners worked on a high profile scheme to extend the Metropolitan tube line to Watford Junction train station. This League tables! I know they provoke would have resulted in the creation of a mixed reaction but I remember as a two new tube stations in Watford, a child spending ages going through the much improved east – west connection football league tables in my parent’s in the town and the linking of the tube copy of the Independent on Sunday. I’m network to the busiest train station in still very keen to see where ‘my team’ Hertfordshire. The costs of the project is whenever there is a presentation. rose but we did manage to secure the additional funding needed. I was recently at a meeting were we looked at growth in Hertfordshire. In one of my first meetings as Mayor, Watford came top of the league, having Transport for London stated that the seen the biggest population rise and scheme was ‘dead’. Although they had increase in jobs. Between 2012 and calculated the costs, included a 20 per 2016 the number of jobs in Watford cent contingency and would have increased by over 30 per cent and from benefited from the additional revenues, 2007 to 2016 the population of the they were not prepared to take any of the town increased by over 16 per cent. risks associated with the project. However, Of course this didn’t happen by chance they did give a commitment to look into and our location, national factors and the feasibility of alternative schemes not least very effective local leadership and that work is now taking place. from my predecessor Dorothy Thornhill With the Metropolitan line extension all played their part. stalled, it was more important than But with this growth come serious ever for the Liberal Democrat council challenges. Right at the top of list of to secure transport improvements. In issues raised with the local Liberal my first year as Mayor I have made Democrat team when we are chatting significant progress towards enhancing with residents is the need to improve our cycling and bus provision in the town. transport infrastructure. This was raised Bus travel is too often forgotten about in at every hustings during my mayoral our discussions about travel. election campaign and was a key theme

6 For every journey by train in the UK there We are working with the county are 20 by bus. A report published this council to enhance the local cycling year by the Campaign for Better Transport infrastructure, increasing the amount of showed that between 2010 and 2018 cycle hoops in the town, especially at funding for buses was cut by about £182 our train stations, and investing in new million in England and Wales with 3,347 facilities for our local Cycle Hub which services reduced, altered or withdrawn. revamps bikes and provides training and support for cyclists of all types. On top I want to see new passengers choosing of that, we will be introducing a bike to travel by bus in Watford. Later this hire scheme in the town later this year. year we will be introducing new on- demand bus services. This fleet of mini The Cycle Forum we have established buses will provide passengers with a brings together representatives from service that is flexible and high quality. cycling groups, local businesses and Using an app, residents will be able our councils. At our first meeting over to order buses to the nearest street 40 people came forward with a range corner and will be dropped as close of suggestions. We will work together as possible to their destination. They on these plans to make Watford a more will be charged a per mile fee and the cycle-friendly place. journey will be no longer than 20 per The need for more sustainable transport cent further than if they were driving has never been more urgent. In towns themselves, as the bus picks up other and cities across the country we know passengers. Similar schemes in Liverpool, that poor air quality, congestion and Oxford and Sittingbourne in Kent have obesity are significant and growing proved successful and I am determined problems. Liberal Democrat councils to make sure that we get a scheme up recognise this and are taking practical and running in Watford this year. action to improve the transport options Regrettably at our recent Budget Council, in their communities. The work we our local Labour Party group moved an have started in Watford will take years amendment to remove all funding for this but I am determined that in the future scheme and then abstained on the vote we will be top of this particular league for our budget as a whole. and known as the town with the most sustainable transport in the UK. Cycling figures in Watford have mirrored those seen across the country; an Peter Taylor is the directly increase in the number of people travelling elected Mayor of Watford by bike a few years ago, with the figures [email protected] then plateauing and falling slightly last year. I am determined to reverse that trend.

7 Councillor Adele Morris ARE WE REALLY BUILDING FOR THE FUTURE?

When I ask them why, excuses given include lack of space for photovoltaic panels, constrained sites (proximity to other buildings/railway lines etc) and viability. In Southwark we collect money from developments to offset their carbon emissions when they fail to meet Much has been said about the the target. So far we have around destruction of our environment caused £250,000 in the kitty, with much more by plastics, and we have grasped that to come – just one approved scheme we need to do something about it. will contribute around £850,000, with Similarly we are starting to understand many others due to make substantial the effects of poor air quality on health. payments once they are built. But what will the money be spent on? I have Much has also been said about the discussed with officers that if we do chronic shortage of housing across the accept money in lieu, it must be spent country, and that we need a massive on projects that genuinely provide the home building programme. But we additional carbon savings that should must think about the impact this will have been achieved in the development. have on the environment. I’m not It makes a mockery of the system if it is talking about protecting the Green Belt simply used on generic ‘environmental or biodiversity here; I’m talking about improvements’ across the borough. But the physical impact of creating new more importantly, surely its better if the buildings. developments meet the target in the first place? Zero carbon Which brings us to the question – Although the Government scrapped its why have we got a target that is not zero carbon homes policy in 2016, both being achieved? Is passive house London and Southwark have policies development (where a home is requiring zero-carbon homes on major designed to maintain a comfortable developments. temperature using sunlight, human and Yet time and time again we sit at minimal mechanical heating and cooling planning committee meetings deciding systems) too expensive? on major developments where the applicant has failed to meet this target.

8 Is it that the building industry hasn’t Liberal Democrats in Southwark are caught up with new technology yet, or campaigning to stop the Mayor of that they choose not to because they London removing a hydrogen bus think it is too difficult or too expensive? route; urging the Mayor and the council Is it simply an unrealistic expectation to roll out the docking station cycle when the construction sector itself hire scheme across the borough; is one of the biggest contributors to and proposing a walking and cycling greenhouse gas emissions? A recent bridge across the Thames. We also report by the Energy and Climate support car free developments and Intelligence Unit claims that not encourage schemes to provide car club achieving zero-carbon development is memberships for new residents. costing occupants of new-build homes Major development is happening more than £200 per year on their across the country, and we need to energy bills. We really need to be more put pressure on developers, local robust at challenging developers if we and national government to be more are going to address climate change. creative in their approach to building. We need to make sure that we are Sustainable transport and creating sustainable communities that infrastructure solutions are fit for the future. It is no good building a huge Adele Morris is the LGA Liberal development in an area when there is Democrat Spokesperson on little or no transport infrastructure to environmental issues get people where they need to go to work, shop and socialise. Yet a recently published report from the National Audit Office shows that councils are not collecting enough money from developers to do this. In Southwark we collect both S106 and Community Infrastructure Levy payments, which can be used towards local transport improvements.

9 Councillor Keith House TACKLING CLIMATE CHANGE IN EASTLEIGH

We have nearly 20 solar photovoltaic (PV) installations on our own sites and other community locations, including at an Academy school site, alongside a range of other technologies including solar thermal, heat pumps and even a wind turbine. At our £28 million new leisure centre, completed in 2017, we have installed a combined heat and Renewable energy power plant as an integral part of one in Eastleigh of the south east’s largest and busiest leisure centres. Tackling climate change has been a strap-line at Eastleigh Borough Council Innovating for well over a decade. We have clear ambition to reduce our environmental We are not afraid to showcase the footprint with zero-carbon targets, latest technology and all our renewable planning to reduce energy and water installations include live counters and consumption, managing down waste, educational material to help visitors and achieving modal shift to more understand the technology and the sustainable travel. benefits of renewable energy. We are proud of our record promoting Fourteen years ago we installed a wind and delivering renewable energy turbine at one of our country parks. This systems. We have focused on turbine is still in operation and provides renewables for a number of reasons: a clear example of our commitment to it is important that there is a strong transitioning to a low carbon energy financial case for all our installations; system. We would like to do more with but more than this we strive to be a wind but are shielded by the South Downs community leader. With energy prices National Park and the Isle of Wight. constantly rising, it is critical to our The council has a strong history of residents and business owners that we supporting businesses and residents help keep their bills down. Energy is a who are trialling new renewable energy poverty as well as environmental issue. systems.

10 Most renewable systems can be Several sites have passivhaus homes; installed via permitted development, but we will only influence markets to if planning is required we have a policy change by demonstrating leadership. whereby the council covers planning Eastleigh Borough Council is fees for residential and small, innovative industry leading in its approach to installations. Green planning is free! master-planning, our local planning A community building one of our policies require development sites to country parks was one of the first to utilise BREEAM communities. This host solar thermal, an indication of how approach helps to create sustainable we have moved along technological communities that are good for the developments; 18 months ago we environment, its people and are also replaced this building with state-of-the- economically successful, by embedding art BREEAM Excellent facilities, which sustainable principles and goals within now features the latest PV utilises and the masterplan from the outset. This a geothermal heat pump. has helped us create places where people want to live and work, even One of our recent community facilities enhancing employee satisfaction. includes vertical bore heat pump. It is Indeed, our Pylands Lane development a unique approach that dramatically was so well designed that it achieved improves the cost-effectiveness of the what is to this date the highest score system for the tenants. in the world for BREEAM communities. We need to all be trying to raise the bar. Democratising energy As we take forward more active There is a misconception that the intervention in the housing market by Deregulation Act removed the ability acquiring major sites for mixed tenure for local authorities to ensure that housing schemes, so our direct role in developments achieve higher than master-planning grows, working directly building regulation standards: this with utilities for example on lower was never enacted. Eastleigh still has water-use planning, and reinvesting site progressive policies which require profits into higher quality design and housing developments to achieve 15 environmental standards. per cent greater efficiency than building regulations; in reality this is easily achieved and, through good design, renewable energy can cost effectively be built into all new homes.

11 Ambition moving forward Each year our solar panels alone generate over 300,000 kilowatt hours of electricity, the equivalent to the annual electricity consumption of 250 households in our borough. By now we had hoped to have built a large solar farm, but aging national utility infrastructure has held us back. However, we haven’t given up on this vision just yet, so watch this space. Looking to the future we are planning for more electric-car charging points, already deployed in our main car park, and for a world with driverless cars. The era of the internal combustion engine for domestic travel is coming to an end. We can encourage that transition. Tackling climate change has to be a shared ambition. It requires leadership and a commitment to challenge assumption. ‘Too difficult’ has been the answer for too many for too long. The clock is ticking. Keith House is Leader of Eastleigh Borough Council

12 Councillor Andrew Waller IMPROVING AIR QUALITY IN YORK

Whilst a city of our size would not be expected to have air quality issues one of the consequences of lack of ‘future proofing’ of urban design by the Romans, Vikings and Wall builders is that we have locations where traffic fumes are held by tall narrow roads or earth banks leading to the walls. Liberal Democrats on the City of A network of real-time monitoring has York Council have a great track record provided us with the information to on environmental issues including go to government to demonstrate the significant work being achieved from need for investment in low emission 2003 to 2011 through the first Carbon vehicles. Management Plan which delivered a 25 Although buses are three per cent of per cent reduction measured through the road fleet our analysis attributes 27 specific schemes including the Eco per cent of emissions to them. This has Depot (at the time the largest timbered helped to deliver a £3 million grant for straw baled building in the country). the electrification of all park and ride Since returning to power in 2015 as part routes (currently two are electric and of a coalition, Liberal Democrats have the Liberal Democrat group have put been keen to build on that record. pressure on the council to appeal for funds to deliver the whole fleet). The The council has now agreed to information is available to the public at implement the first voluntary Clean http://jorair.co.uk/ Air Zone (CAZ) in the country from January 2020; requiring buses coming We were amongst the first 30 into the city centre more than five authorities to take part in Clean Air times a day to be low emission Euro Day in 2017, and did so again in 2018 6 or electric – backed up with a £1.6 which has led to the development of million programme to assist the an anti-idling fine programme so that retrofitting of buses. Whilst other from June 2019 if vehicles are observed larger cities have been required by the by uniformed officers to have left their Department for Environment, Food and engine idling for over two minutes and Rural Affairs (Defra) to introduce CAZs refuse when asked to turn off then a we have introduced this ourselves as fine of £20 can be levied. we recognise the need to tackle our hotspots and virtually all bus routes come through the city centre.

13 The city has two air quality Liberal Democrats have supported the management areas which have been expansion of the electric charging point slightly enlarged this summer, but network – and this will be expanded one area was removed last year as further utilising money for which EU air quality had improved consistently match funding has been applied. (although monitoring continues). Defra has commented that ‘the [air The council now includes the data on monitoring] report is of an excellent World Health Organisation guidelines standard and clearly communicates for PM 10 and PM 2.5. We had the all key information. It is clear that the world’s first electric tour buses, and council are taking exceptional steps we are in the process of delivering the and effort to actively tackle air quality scheme to retrofit 29 school buses. within the city and the success of this approach is reflected in their results’. We’re supporting a low emission taxi fleet which we have now required as Key completed measures and progress a standard for new vehicles (although include: Uber is causing concern). This policy, in • Introduction of electric buses on addition to our earlier support for local two of York’s park and ride services taxi drivers through the Low Emission at Poppleton Bar and Monks Cross. Taxi Incentive Scheme, has resulted in Additional electric and low emission 16 per cent of local taxis being upgraded Euro 6 diesel buses are proposed as to petrol hybrid or electric vehicles.

14 part of the new park and ride contract. sessions per month is currently just over 1500 (this figure includes • Retrofitting the world’s first electric charging session by electric buses). double-decker sightseeing bus. Additional publically accessible fast Three additional sightseeing buses chargers are currently being installed were converted in 2017. Transdev is at Foss Bank Car Park. currently working in partnership with the council to convert the remaining • City of York Council was awarded ‘Go two vehicles to full electric drive. Ultra Low’ city status and awarded funding from the Office of Low • The council has been involved in a Emission Vehicles (OLEV). The money number of events promoting clean will be used to fund a city-wide air days and anti-idling practices with network of hubs, providing ultra-fast, bus operators, taxis, LGVs and private reliable and convenient electrical motorists. Photographs of activities charging. The first hyper-hub is due to undertaken for National Clean Air Day be installed at Monks Cross Park and 2017 and 2018 are available online at: Ride site later in 2018. This will consist http://jorair.co.uk/air-quality-in-york/ of 4 x double rapid-charge units. Once photos/ completed, further hubs are proposed • Continued delivery of the Strategic for other park and ride sites. Electric Vehicle fast charge network in the city. The number of charging

15 We were also awarded £2.85 million Passenger satisfaction information funding from the government’s national also suggests that 90 per cent of York’s Productivity Investment Fund. The bus passengers are satisfied with the Smarter Travel Evolution Programme service they receive – above the national (STEP) takes advantage of York’s average of 87 per cent, and above the ultra-fast fibre optic connectivity and rates for West and South Yorkshire. the cutting edge transport research Real-time monitoring of nitrogen dioxide already being undertaken in the city. and other pollutants takes place at nine Detectors located on traffic lights, locations in the city, along with 233 bollards and other street furniture will sites for diffusion tubes to measure track vehicle movements by anonymous nitrogen dioxide levels. signatures collected from people using mobile data services. This will allow Andrew Waller is the council to better understand the Executive Member for the impact of changes and demands on the Environment on York City Council network such as the impacts of new [email protected] development sites, and to help manage and improve air quality in the city. Bus use is growing in York ! Figures compiled by the Department for Transport (DfT) show that improvements made to York’s buses helped to take 460,000 car trips off the city’s roads last year. DfT’s annual statistics on public transport use show that the number of people using York’s buses has increased for the fourth year in a row. Last year there were 16.8 million passengers on York’s buses, compared with 15 million in 2012/13. This growth in passengers of 12 per cent is in contrast with the rest of Yorkshire and Humber region which has fallen by four per cent.

16 Councillor David Tutt HARVESTING THE SUNSHINE IN EASTBOURNE

In the last five financial years Solarbourne has contributed £1.7 million to the council’s general funds as a result of collecting the Government cashback incentive, which has enabled front line services and the support of community services to be maintained. Last year alone, Solarbourne generated over one million kilowatt hours of clean Solarbourne was an initiative set up by energy which is enough to power 245 Liberal Democrat Eastbourne Council homes1. in 2011 to invest in solar energy so that we could collectively: Solarbourne was the council’s first income generation scheme and has • utilise our microclimate and position been a platform to invest in other of being a sunshine capital of the UK initiatives. As Solarbourne was a 25 • help to reduce people’s electricity year investment, it was subject to bills, especially those in most need prudent assessments, due diligence and working in partnership with our • lower the town’s carbon footprint residents and Eastbourne Homes. • provide a significant additional income The council was also one of the first that can be recycled back into the local authorities to invest in large scale community renewable energy and it continues • help Eastbourne move towards to be a pioneer in this field with the becoming a green town. creation of Clear Sustainable Futures – a joint venture with Robertson Solarbourne has already had two Construction and AECOM. phases of investment and has seen the installation of solar panels across This aims to transform Eastbourne our property portfolio – houses, flats into a sustainable town that meets the and commercial buildings, including the challenges of climate change and helps council offices. Capital funds were used its residents to invest in a cleaner and to pay for the panels and installation greener future. and they will be in place for at least 25 years – the period of time that the Government will give a cashback for the clean energy being generated.

1 Based on mid TDCV of 4200 kwh per home www.ofgem.gov.uk/gas/retail-market/monitoring-data-and- statistics/typical-domestic-consumption-values

17 You can find more information on this scheme (which could also help your authority) at www.clearsustainablefutures.co.uk David Tutt is Leader of Eastbourne Borough Council [email protected]

18 Councillors Dyan Jones and Giles Archibald RECYCLING AND CLIMATE CHANGE IN SOUTH LAKELAND

Customer satisfaction rating with the waste collection service has increased by nine per cent to 82 per cent following the changes. The introduction of additional recycling streams also encouraged householders to increase the quantity of paper, glass and cans recycled. Tonnages for the South Lakeland District Council covers period from 2014/15 to 2017/18 show a vast 600 square miles in the south that the amount of recycling collected of Cumbria; including parts of the Lake has increased, with a fall in the amount District and Yorkshire Dales National of residual waste. Parks. The collection method of kerbside Serving residents in a predominantly sorting provides for a very high quality rural and hilly area presents many of material. This helps the council get challenges. The population density is the best available value for the sale just 172 people per square mile. With a of these materials. We are keen to focus on the environment, the Liberal improve this by introducing district-wide Democrat Council has been taking food waste and textile collections from steps to boost the kerbside recycling all properties. service and to champion tackling The council has a contract with a local climate change. social enterprise, Right2Work, for the on-site collection of bulky waste such Recycling as furniture and domestic appliances. Each household receives a fortnightly Right2Work use the waste collected kerbside collection of paper, glass, as a training resource for people with cans, plastic and cardboard, and a learning disabilities and in need of free green waste collection service, help to move into further full-time along with collection of residual waste. employment. Around 70 per cent of all During 2018 the service was externally waste collected is re-used or recycled. reviewed by the Association for Public This approach has been recognised Service Excellence, and was found as excellent practice and has been to provide excellent, value for money nominated for two national awards. services.

19 We are seeking to secure lasting For example on our social media we improvements in our environment put out weekly tips on how to reduce through extending the range of carbon emissions. One of our towns, materials that can be recycled. Kendal, is actively investigating how Examples include a Waste Less to go towards carbon neutral and we Project in the village of Staveley hope to add another community to that during 2017/18; and work with James project shortly. Cropper Ltd, Cumbria Waste Recycling, As part of our work to both tackle Cumbria Council and the Westmorland climate change and help vulnerable Agricultural Society to provide trial households who are suffering financial coffee cup recycling schemes at two hardship, we refer households who major outdoor events attended by we feel are at risk of fuel poverty to 50,000 people. These were the first the Local Energy Advice Partnership such events in the country to provide https://applyforleap.org.uk. Around such facilities for visitors. 4,810 households in the district are ‘fuel poor’ or unable to heat their Climate change homes adequately. The campaign Local authorities have an important role group Cumbria Action for Sustainability, to play in tackling climate change. In which is helping to tackle the effects the past few years, Cumbria has been of climate change, is the LEAP service severely affected by violent weather provider in South Lakeland and the leading to flooding such as Storm district council is a key stakeholder. Desmond. We have both an obligation Those who are eligible get a free and a high level of self interest in being home visit to check if they are on the at the forefront of climate change cheapest energy tariff, have energy mitigation. Given our geographic size saving measures installed and receive we have an opportunity to contribute to energy efficiency tips. LEAP will also the solution. refer households for further energy The council is in the process of efficiency improvements, such as loft adopting a climate change policy. We insulation or a new boiler. will be declaring a climate emergency. Dyan Jones is Environment Portfolio We have a list of action items that Holder and Giles Archibald is Leader, will result in energy conservation and South Lakeland District Council green energy generation, and we have [email protected] embarked on a campaign of engaging and influencing others to take action.

20 Councillor Lynda Murphy WORKING FOR A PLASTIC-FREE WINCHESTER

The evidence is that food waste tends to reduce when there is a weekly collection. People are horrified by how much they are wasting and so they modify their behaviour. But even using the lower figure, introducing all these changes would bring our recycling rate toward the best in the UK. Winchester’s current recycling rates Our success locally has been a mix are shockingly poor. In the 2016/17 local of eye-catching campaigns and a lot authority recycling league table published of hard work in the background. I was by letsrecycle.com, we came 282nd with elected at my first attempt at standing a recycling rate of 34.2 per cent. As the for the city council last May, and a big main opposition party (and with a very part of that was my local kerbside glass good chance to take control of the council campaign. My initial petition on the in May), Winchester Liberal Democrats council’s own website gathered over have developed a two-pronged approach 1,200 signatures and it was popular on in trying to increase that figure. the doorstep with people of all political leanings. By working with a local non- From a city council perspective, we are political group, Winchester Action on definitely pushing a ‘green’ theme in our Climate Change – Waste Action Group manifesto. We have chosen to be bold (the WAGs), we now have a promise – we want to have the highest recycling from the Conservative administration rate in the country! We believe this is that this service will start in the autumn. achievable – here is a list of initiatives we could introduce and the effect they Another pet topic of mine: I have would have on our recycling rates. been pushing for water fountains to be installed in the city centre. I hope Kerbside glass collection +3 there will be one in place before the per cent summer to help reduce some of the Accepting cartons in +1 17.5 million plastic bottles that get used recycling collection per cent in Winchester every year. Accepting mixed plastics +3 in recycling collection per cent Our current focus is to introduce a food waste collection. In a recent survey Enforcement/education +7 to ensure the right things per cent of Winchester’s waste, a staggering are in the right bins 15 per cent of rubbish collected was usable food! In a time when food Weekly food waste +20-30 collections per cent poverty is increasing, this is something

21 we must change. Again, working with The children are so motivated, and we the WAGs, we hope to get the statistics keep hearing stories of them going back out soon and build popular support for home and educating their parents. It’s action by the council. fantastic! They are really keen to make real environmental change. Hannah has We also need an education/ also met our local secondary schools, enforcement system. Not only do sixth-form colleges and universities to people contaminate their recycling, but start a Sustainable Schools Hub. It’s they put recyclables in their refuse bin still early days but they are very keen to which in our case then get incinerated. make it work. We are literally burning money. Only yesterday, we received an email Accepting mixed plastics and cartons is from the environmental officer at the a trickier issue. Ideally we want retailers University of Winchester saying, “the to only produce plastics that can be University is embarking on an ambitious easily recycled. And that brings me plan to eliminate single-use plastics onto the other flank of attack: Plastic by 2022. We would like to link up with Free Winchester. This is a non-political Plastic Free Winchester to share details community group we have set up to and look at where we might be able to encourage consumers to drive retailers work together.” The enthusiasm is there (and the council) to reduce plastic and we, as Liberal Democrat activists, packaging. We also encourage them to can help convert that to action. share ideas about how to reduce their plastic use (eg using shampoo bars, Working in partnership will be the key beeswax wraps, reusable water bottles to reducing our plastic use in the future etc). Having a strong social media and improving our recycling rates. We presence is a key factor to our success. need to do this for our children’s future We are currently working towards and the sake of our planet. Recently, it Winchester getting plastic free status has been so satisfying seeing children from Surfers against Sewage. That feeling empowered by our work and group is helping us create links with now telling their communities how we other like-minded communities. all need to change. One of my co-founders of Plastic Free Lynda Murphy is a Councillor on Winchester, Hannah Williams, has Winchester City Council been touring round our local primary [email protected] schools, talking to the children in their assemblies about plastic free schools.

22 Mayor Dave Hodgson OUR CARBON-CUTTING JOURNEY: 40 PER CENT AND BEYOND If we were going to achieve the transformation that would enable us to achieve our own target, we had to demonstrate to ourselves, to our staff and to the community that reducing our environmental impact was necessary and important at all levels. Every carbon cutting measure We don’t lack ambition here at Liberal would count. And with government Democrat led Bedford Borough Council. funding cuts biting, reducing energy However, in respect of energy and consumption was also a necessity climate change there was a time when for financial as well as environmental we wondered if we’d been a bit too reasons. So we took small but vital ambitious about what we could achieve. actions such as scrapping all bottled water for meetings, replacing the use of Back in 2011, we announced our target to hand towels in the toilets with efficient reduce our carbon emissions by 40 per dryers and introducing motion-sensored cent, via our bold Carbon Management lighting in council offices. Plan. We sometimes referred to it as an ‘aspirational’ target, and certainly if All of these measures had both practical felt daunting at the time. But action on and symbolic value in demonstrating carbon reduction and climate change had that we could and would make changes been a priority from day one, and we had throughout the organisation to reduce already taken radical steps such as the our impact on the climate, but our creation of the Mayor’s Climate Change plan to achieve the 40 per cent cut Fund. Through this we awarded dozens of obviously required more wide-reaching grants to a wide range of energy-saving, action. Early examples of our larger carbon-cutting projects from solar panels energy saving projects included a new on village hall roofs to insulated doors at heat exchanger system at the local a church to upgraded heating systems in crematorium. One local media outlet schools. sought to make a scandal out of this, but the public at large recognised this It kick-started a vast array of schemes as the common sense measure it is. across the borough that otherwise would simply not have taken place. But Another early scheme was our the Carbon Management Plan and our evaporative cooling project, which won 40 per cent target was all about making best IT/e-commerce at the 2012 Public sure we got our own house in order. Sector Awards.

23 Such schemes are more commonplace The Archimedes screws were certainly now, but we won recognition at that one of our more eye-catching projects, time for this successful measure to but there was a wide array of different save a significant degree of both energy measures included in our RE:FIT and money by not using air conditioning scheme, which was the backbone of in the council’s data centre. our drive to slash energy usage across the council’s estate. This scheme We also pressed ahead with our hydro saw us appoint a contractor to deliver power facility on the River Great Ouse energy savings to council buildings, and in Bedford. This is an Archimedes-screw we took a very hands-on role alongside system which uses the renewable the contractors in identifying, evaluating power available via the drop between and approving those projects that would the upper and lower river in Bedford. It make the real difference we needed. was actually opposed fiercely in certain quarters, with local Conservatives Projects included installing solar making a wild array of claims and dire panels at council car parks and leisure warnings about draining the river and centres, improving insulation, upgrading the aesthetics of the location, none of lighting and heating controls as well which proved true. as converting the main borough hall building from oil-fired heating to natural Seeing as there were once as many as gas and biomass. Since then we have 17 mills harnessing the power of the continued delivering projects such as river in and around Bedford, you might replacing all streetlights with LEDs, think that ‘conservatives’ would approve upgrading the lighting at town centre of reconnecting with our history, but multistorey car parks to LEDs and with sadly they couldn’t seem to see past motion/daylight sensors, and replacing the fact that we were carrying it out office lighting to Smart LED light fittings. and therefore it had to be opposed. The project has gone on to generate income So where has all this got us to? Over for the council, and is also a model in 40 per cent, I’m pleased (and relieved) the heart of Bedford which provides a to report. We are well beyond that living demonstration of the purpose and ‘ambitious’ target and have cut our practicality of renewable energy. It’s carbon emissions by around half. And been the inspiration for many a school we know we have a lot more to do. I project! have asked officers to examine how we can get to carbon neutrality, and we’ll be looking closely at plans to go further and faster in cutting our carbon emissions.

24 In the meantime, our carbon cutting measures continue, both within the council and outside via support for carbon-cutting practices in the community. Internally, for instance, we have just switched from diesel to liquid-to-gas fuel in the council fleet, a measure we are trialling and which has required no engine modifications or new infrastructure, as it can be used as a direct replacement for conventional diesel. We will be monitoring it closely in the coming months to see if it really can achieve the cut in harmful emissions some trials have reported. Looking outside the council itself, we’ve also signed a deal for the installation of around 300 new electric vehicle charging points at 150 sites across the borough at public car parks and on- street parking. So we’ve come a long way from scrapping bottled water and hand towels. But just as the enthusiasm and ambition that started there allowed us to get to our 40 per cent target and beyond, we know we have to retain that zeal for carbon-cutting if we’re going to get where we need to go in the future. Dave Hodgson is the directly elected Mayor of Bedford [email protected]

25 Councillor David Carter OADBY AND WIGSTON’S PRACTICAL APPROACH TO GREENING OUR BOROUGH The group now gets an annual grant from the council and has: • Established a membership card scheme which, for an annual fee of £5, gives members discounts at over 50 local businesses. This has generated funds for a number of projects, including a bench, a planted Liberal Democrat Oadby and trough and information panel to Wigston Borough Council have been mark the location of the Wigston working hard on a long term plan for Pinfold; various planters which are sustainability since 2013. The main maintained by local businesses and aim was to involve more residents the refurbishment and replanting of in helping our local environment and flower beds at one of the municipal develop a sustainable approach. Three parks. outcomes are outlined below. • Continued to organise an annual floral The first is the ‘Pride of the Borough’ display competition. group which supported environmental • Bid for additional project funding. improvements. It was established in 2003 by Oadby and Wigston Borough • Organised working mornings, both Council (OWBC) to support the on a monthly and ad hoc basis to borough’s entry into East Midlands tackle projects around the borough. in Bloom. The group was made up The delivery of these activities reflect of individuals, Friends of Parks, Civic the continuing partnership between Societies, neighbourhood groups, the group and the council. When elected members and officers who all the group organise a weekend litter worked together to encourage people pick, the council’s ‘Clean and Green’ to take a pride in the borough and to team collect and process the bags help our local environment. of waste. If the council workforce undertake tree work and generate The council was invited to represent wood chippings, they make the East Midlands in the national Britain in material available to neighbourhood Bloom competition in 2006; 2011 and groups to use as mulch in the areas 2017. Since 2010 it has been awarded which they have adopted. nine consecutive gold medals in the regional competition.

26 The second is our commitment to Finally we invested in our staff. At volunteers and our country park. To build the insistence of Liberal Democrat on our successful Brocks Hill Country members a dedicated tree officer was Park, our Greening Steering Group looked appointed – the only district council at its development and sustainability. in Leicestershire to do so. The role included supporting our tree wardens An application was made to Heritage and working with both Oadby and Lottery Fund in 2014/2015 to support the Wigston Lions and all three local rotary Natural Discovery Volunteer Development groups to plant trees in the borough. Programme which sought to: The groups have funded the trees and • create friends groups for key sites/ provided the manpower to plant them. green spaces The tree officer has provided technical advice and identified suitable pieces • engage new volunteers through of council owned land to locate the taster days, challenge days and trees. This is all in addition to protecting volunteer fairs, with a focus on existing trees through development expanding age ranges and diversity control. • support the development of lead David Carter is an Oadby and volunteers who could support officers Wigston Borough Councillor in leading and delivering volunteering [email protected] sessions.

The legacy of this project is a group of five lead volunteers who have received training in task management, risk assessment and first aid. They have also been trained in the safe use of brush cutters, strimmers and manually fed wood chippers, to enable them to assist the council officers in woodland management tasks. These volunteers run sessions on a weekly basis at our country park and throughout the borough.

27 Councillor Peter Thornton DELIVERING FOR THE ENVIRONMENT IN COALITION

Cycling: Cumbria is a mecca for cycling of all kinds. We had two stages of the Tour of Britain here last year and we are restoring the round Cumbria cycle route, working with those great people at Sustrans. It helps that I represent the LGA on the Sustrans ‘Paths For Everyone’ Steering Group, but wherever you are It’s not easy running a county council it’s worth contacting your local group in coalition. Funding is very tight and who are bound to be able to find some social care, plus children’s services low cost improvements to your local overspends just seem to swallow up network. Our Liberal Democrat group every saving we make. is developing a manifesto pledge We are in coalition with Labour and around every child being able to cycle in the happy position of facing Tory to school safely, we think that will be a challenges in most of our seats, which vote winner. Which leads naturally on to means that we get on well with our re-cycling... partners but we need to make a We have several zero waste groups distinctive pitch for votes and this is hosting ‘repair clinics’ in which retired where we need to push the green engineers in brown smocks wield agenda harder. That and the fact that screwdrivers and soldering irons to we believe in it, of course! great effect. A great message when What can we do in such a cash branded with the council logo. Our strapped situation? Well actually, the voters seem to have an insatiable answer is that we can do plenty. Here appetite for recycling and if we receive are some of the things we are working criticism it’s invariably aimed at us not on at the moment. doing enough. Potholes: that constant topic on the Buses: Cumbria spends many millions doorsteps, wonderful when you are on school transport and a large in opposition but not so great when in proportion of that with high needs power! Cumbria is taking part in a trial children. We have started to buy our using a plastic filling for the potholes own minibuses and small coaches in in order to get better bonding and a order to bring these services back in stronger repair. The great news is that house. it uses waste recycled plastic – so there is a strong green message about reusing plastic.

28 This saves money but also means that In conclusion: most green measures we will be able to offer lifts to adults, save money, many are low cost and piggybacking on the school buses, and Liberal Democrat green policies can all the transport will also be available in the be used to give us a distinctive voice. middle of the day. We’ve just begun this What’s not to like? trial but so far the results are looking Peter Thornton is Deputy Leader good, helping reduce car journeys. of Cumbria County Council What do you do with old closed landfill [email protected] sites? How about a solar farm? I’m challenging our officers to examine every piece of unusable land along every roof that we own. The money won’t be huge but ‘every little helps’ and there’s a visible and important Liberal Democrat green message. Cumbria needs to be a carbon neutral county. Work is underway to identify how far we are away and what needs to be done to get there. It’s not entirely straightforward – Sellafield services our nuclear industry, how does that play into the calculations? Is nuclear power ‘green’, or not? Answers on a postcard please. And finally, we have the subject of climate change. A very real subject in our towns which flooded during Storm Desmond. In this we stand beside Giles Archibald, Liberal Democrat Leader of South Lakeland District Council, who is a powerful voice on this subject.

29 Councillor Katie Mansfield WORKING FOR A GREENER BOROUGH

• fines for car idling across the borough of up to £40 (from 1st March 2019) – to be implemented by parking and traffic officers • installing recycling units for small electrical items in libraries • shelving the previous Conservative administration’s air quality action plan, During the 2018 election, Twickenham as many key stakeholders debated and Richmond Liberal Democrats that it was not fit for purpose – we stood on a manifesto pledge to make are now writing a ‘fit for purpose’ our borough one of the greenest in replacement that works for modern London, and in our first nine months of day Richmond administration we’ve been pulling out all the stops to make that a reality. • trialling alternatives to herbicides to deal with weeds on public footpath. Good air quality has a knock on effect – better air quality means better health. We’ve also used the council When we ran the borough prior to 2010, communications team to launch we were the greenest local authority in borough wide campaigns on these London. issues, concentrating on the use of videos on social media. Since retaking control from the Tories last year – a party that had eight Air quality is not the sexiest of subjects years of rule and oversaw the green – poor air quality often can’t be seen, credentials of Richmond borough slip and the effects of it are often felt more behind – we have pushed forward with in the longer term. But it’s an issue that significant initiatives such as: is causing more deaths each year and more cases of asthma which in turn is • fighting the expansion of Heathrow’s putting huge pressures on our NHS. third runway (which would mean an extra 25000 flights a year) – And there is our work on a 20mph backing a legal challenge (along with wide limit on the borough’s roads, (with surrounding boroughs) the exception of a small number of A roads). At the launch of the consultation • consulting on the implementation of on the limits in Richmond, Councillor 20mph borough wide limit, (which is Alex Ehmann said: “If we can reduce now about to go to scrutiny with the the speeds at which motorists travel, hopes of starting implementation in then we reduce the risk of accidents summer 2019 if passed)

30 and the risk and severity of injury. This borough-wide 20mph limit will also make our roads more accessible for cyclists and pedestrians, encouraging greener methods of transport and helping to cut pollution, which will in turn make our streets cleaner and more enjoyable places to be”. In the future, our team plan to push forward with policies such as reducing the use of single use plastics in the borough by 2022. At the same time, our large-scale initiatives will be teamed with: supporting the creation of and any existing friends’ groups; working with residents to improve and protect biodiversity and access to our green spaces; ensuring that council owned offices and buildings are energy efficient and tackling lights being left on at night; planting more trees and replacing damaged and dying trees. For more information contact our cabinet members: Alex Ehmann [email protected] Martin Elengorn [email protected]

Katie Mansfield is a Councillor in Richmond Upon Thames and is Assistant Member for Transport, Streetscene and the Environment

31 Councillor Adam Paynter, Council Leader SUPPORTING GEOTHERMAL ENERGY IN CORNWALL

Geothermal Engineering announced the plans for the United Downs geothermal power station in October 2009 and in August 2010 the United Downs plant was granted planning permission by Cornwall Council in a unanimous vote with the drilling of the first well beginning in early 2011, however at the time, developers were unable to Liberal Democrat led Cornwall Council secure funding to drill the exploratory has recently declared a ‘climate wells necessary to prove the resource emergency’, committing to become existed in the UK. carbon neutral by 2030. The motion is a positive step forward in building on Through the Cornwall Devolution Deal the work done by the council to date on agreed in 2015, Cornwall Council is issues contributing to tackling climate working with the government to see change, ranging from supporting how the development of geothermal renewable energy to reducing waste, energy can be supported. As part of its improving public transport to reduce commitments, the Liberal Democrat led traffic congestion, flood mitigation, council agreed to appoint a dedicated rolling out energy saving LED street geothermal policy officer to co-ordinate lighting and more. projects in Cornwall. This included proving that geothermal energy can An example of work already underway be provided through locally driven is supporting deep geothermal energy, investment. as we look to develop more renewable energy sources. The potential for Through the European Regional exploiting geothermal in the UK on a Development Fund process, commercial basis is nothing new of Geothermal Engineering Limited course. It was initially examined in the successfully secured funding to wake of the 1973 oil crisis, when trials enable the £18 million United Downs were undertaken at Rosemanowes Deep Geothermal Power project Quarry, near Penryn, Cornwall in 1977. (UDGPP), including £2.4 million match However, interest in developing them funding from Cornwall Council. It then was lost as petrol prices fell. secured an additional £5 million of match funding through a successful Cornwall’s extensive granite means it crowdfunding campaign. has been seen as the most promising part of the UK for combined heat and power from geothermal sources.

32 In the first project of its kind in the UK, Through the Cornwall Deal, the Liberal the project will explore the geothermal Democrat led council will have an resources at depth and hopes to use essential role in helping to evidence the energy to drive a demonstration the viability of the technology to ensure power plant supplying electricity to the investment into subsequent projects. local grid. When complete, the plant will This will include the facilitation of a pump cool water down a 2500 metre higher value unit price for the electricity injection well and the water will then and enabling a market for the ‘waste’ return to the surface at 175°C through a heat. 4500 metre production well. The steam Cornwall Council also worked closely turbine at the surface will generate to facilitate the £1.8 million geothermal up to 3MWe net power, with up to heat project at Jubilee Pool, Penzance, 15MWth renewable heat being created. which will provide heated water to This project seeks to prove to investors, a section of the Art Deco lido. The researchers and the global geothermal world renowned tourist attraction was community that deep geothermal recently devolved by the council into power can be produced in Cornwall, local control with the creation of Jubilee acting as a catalyst for other projects in Pool Penzance Ltd, the heated section the area and abroad. Whilst there are will improve the visitor experience similar working examples in Europe and extend opening times to improve and others are planned in the US and the viability and sustainability of the Australia, this is the first of its kind in beloved community facility. the UK. Adam Paynter is Leader of Cornwall To this end, in May 2018, Cornwall Council Council agreed to provide a £1.4 million adam.paynter@cornwallcouncillors. grant as match funding to unlock a org.uk second site located within the Eden Project, subject to them achieving funding from other sources. This is a proposed partnership between EGS Energy and the Eden Project in Bodelva near St Austell, which involves drilling a well to gain access to the hot rocks below, creating enough heat and electricity to potentially power the Eden Project and surrounding homes.

33 Councillor Manuel Abellan FOR A GREENER SUTTON

In 2011, and after extensive restoration works in close collaboration with the Wandle Trust, the Environment Agency and local community groups, the 11 miles long River Wandle, which passes through South London to join the Thames, was included in a list of the 10 most-improved rivers in England and Wales released by the Environment Sutton, with over 1,146 hectares of Agency. This was an impressive protected green space, 34 allotment achievement considering that the river sites, 57 Sites of Importance for Nature was officially declared a sewer in the Conservation and 11 nature reserves, is 1960s. Today, the river has even seen one of the leafiest boroughs in London. the return of the river’s once famous But away from the physical amenities brown trout! of the borough, the Liberal Democrat actions in Sutton over the last three The last decade of austerity has decades have given us a well-earned been, like for every part of the UK, a reputation for our green credentials. massive challenge for Sutton – we’ve had to find over £100 million worth of In the early 2000s, we helped pioneer savings, or almost 50 per cent of our the award-winning Beddington Zero annual budget. And the reality is that Energy Development (BedZed) as the our environmental services, despite first construction project where a local our very best efforts, have not been authority2 sold land at below market exempt from painful cuts. Despite this value to make sustainable development dire financial outlook, our ambition to economically viable. Designed to create be London’s most sustainable borough zero-carbon emissions, the iconic has not wavered and was still front Bedzed village was the first large scale and centre in our 2018 local election community to do so and continues manifesto. to be today an inspiration for zero- carbon homes worldwide. And out of Since our successful election, we’ve the 82 properties, one-third are being passed a motion and started the rented out to tenants nominated by the process of removing all single use council. plastics from council operations and contracts.

2 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Local_government_in_the_United_Kingdom

34 We’ve also planted nearly 2,000 trees Our challenge moving forward is to across the borough since the election increase our recycling rates but more and for the first time ever, achieved a importantly to reduce the overall recycling rate of over 50 per cent, two amount of waste that we produce. At years ahead of schedule. This massive the present moment, the SLWP will still increase of 13.5 per cent in recycling in be left with 170,000 tonnes of residual one year now ranks us in the top three waste every year that has not been best recycling boroughs in London and in sorted and placed out for recycling by the top quartile in the UK. residents. We are proud that in a recent letter to The majority of this ‘residual waste’ is our council leader Ruth Dombey, the currently sent to a 92-hectare landfill Government praised Sutton and asked site in Sutton that is nearing full for details on how the rates were capacity so in 2009 we embarked on a achieved so that they can be shared as major procurement process to secure a best practice across the UK. contract for residual waste treatment. After a decade of preparation, the This was achieved by working closely SLWP will this year start sending 95 per with Merton, Croydon and Kingston via cent of their residual household waste the South London Waste Partnership to be treated in a cost-effective and (SLWP) to jointly procure one of the environmentally sustainable new state- biggest waste contracts in Europe of-the art Energy Recovery Facility (ERF) and agree to drastically restructure instead of being buried in the ground. our waste policy. The first step, after realising that residents were generating The new facility is located right next excessive amounts of waste, was to to the existing landfill site, which will introduce a one bin policy for general now close. These will be capped and waste. This was followed some months restored into high quality habitats for later by the introduction of a new wildlife. Once the site is fully restored kerbside collection service that included and the habitats established, the a weekly food waste collection service, landfill site will be incorporated into the a fortnightly collection for general Beddington Farmlands, a site that has (residual) waste and the introduction already recorded 258 species of bird, of a two stream recycling collection 476 species of moth, nine species of service, moving from a fortnightly bat and over 300 species of plants and commingled service to a separate hundreds of invertebrates. paper and card, and plastics and dry mixed collection, collected on alternate weeks.

35 We’re proud that thanks to our efforts These challenges cannot be fixed by the we’re merging a former landfill site with Council alone and we’ll need to work an existing farmland to create one of closely with our neighbours, the Mayor the largest contiguous green spaces in and Government to make this happen. south London. In true Lib Dem fashion, we’ll embark our residents, local businesses and key The ERF will also help cut carbon partners from across the borough on emissions by 128,000 tonnes per year, this journey with us. when compared to the existing landfill operation. The energy generated from Manuel Abellan is a Councillor in the ERF will also produce 26MW of the London Borough of Sutton electricity each year, enough to power and chairs the Environment and the facility itself plus 30,000 homes. Neighbourhood Committee In 2016, Sutton Council created a sustainable energy supplier company called Sutton Decentralised Energy Network Limited (SDEN). The company, fully-owned by the council, is using the energy generated by the new ERF to provide low-carbon energy in the form of hot water, meeting the heating and hot water needs of thousands of homes and businesses in Sutton and neighbouring boroughs. SDEN will reduce fossil fuel use, contributing towards our goal of becoming a zero- carbon borough by 2025. We have ambitious plans for Sutton and are ready to tackle some of the immediate challenges we face. We want cleaner air for our residents, healthier streets, to reduce our dependence on cars, improve transport links and get more people to walk and cycle.

36 Councillor Val Keitch SOUTH SOMERSET DELIVERS GROUND-BREAKING ENERGY STORAGE The idea of battery energy storage is simple – batteries store excess energy production during periods of low usage periods and resupply it to the grid when needed at peak times. A significant proportion of electricity generated from solar and wind is wasted because during windy and sunny periods there can be a large oversupply and there is no ability Innovative work which will see to store this energy. By storing excess Liberal Democrat South Somerset energy in batteries, it can be resupplied District Council at the cutting-edge of to the grid when required. renewable energy technology is being delivered. The council, in partnership The facility being created will with Somerset-based Opium Power provide 25MW of instantly Limited, is creating a new 25MW available electrical power on energy storage facility near Taunton to demand to the National Grid. This provide essential power management facility is extremely significant as it assistance to the National Grid. It will represents one of the larger energy be the largest council-owned battery storage facilities in the country. storage system in the UK and comes The power produced for the grid as a result of £9.8 million of South for one hour’s duration which is Somerset District Council investment. the equivalent to powering more than 30,000 homes. Cllr Henry Hobhouse, the council’s portfolio holder for property and income This will be used to balance out generation, said: “I am extraordinarily fluctuating demands on the local proud and excited to be able to deliver Somerset power grid. Peaks and such an important project. We have troughs in demand cause under a vital role to play in caring for our and over supply if not correctly environment and to be able to combine managed - this can result in frequency this with our new commercial approach fluctuations that can damage electrical which will see us protect services and infrastructure. become more financially self-sufficient Since the council purchased the site is a great achievement.” in May, a fast-moving programme of delivery began including preparing the site following negotiations with local and international suppliers.

37 This includes our partners in this South Somerset District Council is the project – Opium Power Ltd working investor and co-owner of the facility, with National Grid, Western Power Opium Power Limited will be the Distribution (WPD), Kiwi Power, BYD project manager and co-owner, BYD and BSR Connect amongst others. Europe BV will be the battery supplier and BSR Connect is the project roll out During this time, the new containerised connection contractor. Western Power battery units have been delivered. Final Distribution will be the local distribution connections and operational testing network operator. All of our project are taking place as this booklet is being partners are incredibly excited about the produced for a ‘go-live’ operational date opportunity. in March 2019. David Owen of Opium Power Limited The project will not only assist the said: “The launch of this state of the council’s income generation needs and art Battery Energy Storage System contribute towards the objectives of our at Taunton is perfectly timed. It commercial strategy, it also meets its will coincide with the National Grid council plan commitment to promote preparing to launch a number of new the use of green technology. It will services in the emerging markets additionally aid development in the created by the System Needs and region in the future by removing some Product Strategy Consultation. of the electricity supply constraints which can be a barrier to further “These services will require almost investment. instant response times, and will therefore not be achievable by other The council is additionally working with generating sources such as diesel and the award-winning Kiwi Power Ltd gas power that currently compete with to gain advice on the energy auction battery in the marketplace.” markets and prepare it for further bids for energy contracts into the future. Val Keitch is Leader of South Somerset District Council Councillor Hobhouse added: “This [email protected] investment project will bring regular revenue into the council to help continue to provide services to our communities as well as help the region to supply a consistent supply of green energy through the national grid for the future.”

38 BEST PRACTICE CHALLENGES FOR THE ENVIRONMENT

• Improving bus transport is a great • Don’t forget that recycling and way of reducing car use. What is energy conservation schemes your council doing to support this can also involve a strong element and have you investigated the of social justice and community option of ‘on demand’ bus services involvement, such as working with for some areas? social enterprises to refurbish bulky waste or helping vulnerable • What steps is your council households at risk of fuel poverty. taking to reduce its own carbon emissions and does it have an • Does your area have a ‘plastic aim to become carbon neutral? free’ campaign to involve local residents in cutting back on single • How is your council monitoring use plastics and are local Liberal developer’s promises over their Democrats involved with it? carbon emission targets? • How are you involving residents • What is your council doing with in supporting local parks and its buildings to promote and use green open spaces? And does renewable energy? your authority have a tree planting • Is your council asking for a greater programme? energy efficiency rating on new • Look at different ways of recycling housing developments than the and re-use – for instance trials national building regulations allow? are now underway using recycled • What steps are you taking to plastic to repair roads. support the roll out of charging • Be imaginative in finding and points for electric vehicles? Some supporting the development of authorities have incorporated the new carbon neutral sources of need for electric charging points energy, including battery storage, into their planning policy. Is your hydro power and geothermal. authority also looking at making good use of resources such as • What is your council doing to council car parks to install these? increase recycling – or is it sitting back and resting on its laurels? • Look at what steps your council can take to improve air quality in its area. How is any monitoring being carried out?

This booklet contains just some good practice examples from Liberal Democrats around the country. For further information or if you have a good story that you think we should hear about please contact us at [email protected]

39 Published in conjunction with the Green Liberal Democrats by the LGA Liberal Democrat Group at the Local Government Association 18 Smith Square London SW1P 3HZ www.local.gov.uk/lga-lib-dem-group

REF 6.105 March 2019